Restoring your weathered cowl piece

[quicksilvr]

Um, why in the heck is this a sticky??


-Take plastic off
-Paint
-Put plastic back on


:shrug:


Waste of space at the top of the forum. Don't get me wrong...the cowl looks new again. But if we sticky every damn little thing you can possibly paint on the truck we'd have 15 pages of stickies.

 

[RonMAIDEN]

Um, why in the heck is this a sticky??


-Take plastic off
-Paint
-Put plastic back on


:shrug:


Waste of space at the top of the forum. Don't get me wrong...the cowl looks new again. But if we sticky every damn little thing you can possibly paint on the truck we'd have 15 pages of stickies.

It's a sticky in part since it is an often forgotten piece and removal isn't obvious to the 4Runner layman but yes,we can't sticky everything but we don't have alot of stickies anyway.

 

[T4R2014]

IMO, I think this thread could be put in the tutorial and documentation thread and be un-stickied.

While this is a very helpful thread and I will definitely be using this information in the future, I think that stickies make forums look a little cluttered when there are too many.

 

[quicksilvr]

Yeah, put it in the tutorial section for sure. I remember how much we had to keep bumping Ripcords awesome write-up for new owners before it ever got a sticky. It looks very bad when a moderator writes a dinky little how-to and then stickies it when it's really not necessary. I'm not trying to bash RonMaiden, but I'm a moderator on other forums, and this is the kind of stuff that makes moderators look bad.

You can remove this post and all my posts in this thread when/if it gets moved to the tutorial section. Don't need my criticism cluttering it up when it's all said and done.

 

[ChildrenOfBodom]

I've done this mod before, very easy and worthwhile. I'm not sure why it's being stickied now, though.

After 12 years, the window trim was starting to get pretty sun faded. I took on a new product called SEM Trim Black. SEM makes bodyshop grade products. This particular product dries harder than normal spray paint, giving it much more durability. The finish is flat black and looks OEM. I didn't go far enough to fill in pits or anything, the color is enough.

Pics!

Windshield wiper arms and windshield cowl (sorry, no before pics, but I assure you that it was turning white.)

 

[SCRunner12]

quickslvr I was thinking the same thing. It took how many months for the Buyer's guide to get stickied and this one gets stickied the same day and the reprogramming thread gets stickied out of nowhere as well. I understand Ron is a mod and can sticky it, but really? People forget about this "eye sore" because only people like COB are OCD enough to care (no offense COB). I agree it should be in the tutorial thread as the stickied threads should be major threads, not minor ones. If anything brian2sun's T-Case thread is MUCH more important and helpful than this one and should be stickied over this thread.


Ron, I'm not trying to say your thread is useless and I appreciate you being proactive with the stickies. I honestly have never thought twice about the cowl piece and probably will do something about it soon. Thanks!

 

[RonMAIDEN]

Sorry guys,I'll get it to the tutorial section tomorrow and I'll keep stickies to major issues.

 

[CodyX36]

Looks good man, nice little write-up!

:snacker:

 

[02-Sport]

It isn't the one thing that hopefully would be noticed but what it looks like as a whole package since even the casual car person would notice a weathered part more than a clean piece but when all the restored parts come together it makes the whole truck not look as dated.

I know what you mean, I did the same thing to the following. Makes such a big difference

 

[SoAZ4Runner]

I know what you mean, I did the same thing to the following. Makes such a big difference

Hey Sport.

When you did the rest, tailgate step, roof rack, etc. Did you just tape it all off for paint? Or did you pull it off and paint it?

 

[02-Sport]

Hey Sport.

When you did the rest, tailgate step, roof rack, etc. Did you just tape it all off for paint? Or did you pull it off and paint it?

I pulled everything off to paint it.
I used SEM, bumper coater. The color is 39293 honda black. This stuff goes on so good, best i've ever used!! No adhesion promoter required.

 

[Clemsonfan15]

Where did you buy it?

Looking to do it this weekend.

 

[SoAZ4Runner]

Where did you buy it?

Looking to do it this weekend.

Hey just tossing this out I got the Krylon Fusion for plastics and some clear coat and it has been working like a dream as well!

 

[Clemsonfan15]

Hey just tossing this out I got the Krylon Fusion for plastics and some clear coat and it has been working like a dream as well!

Good to know.

Both of those are at the top of the list. Will probably make the decision based on price.

You have to clear over the Krylon?

 

[02-Sport]

Where did you buy it?

Looking to do it this weekend.

I bought it at Carquest in Lavonia GA. (CLOSE TO WHERE I WORK) I called around and found it, a good friend of mine told me about it.

I see you live in Greenville, I bet Pep Boys on the motor mile would have it? If not I'm sure a other parts stores around there would have it. I payed $13 a can.

I did use Krylon Fusion that SoAZ4Runner was talking about on my upper grill. But I did not use any clear coat though. It worked really good too.

 

[MONTYMTB]

Just purchased a can of the SEM, about to paint some of these same parts myself. Couple of questions: how is it holding up, and what kind of prep work did you do before painting (what did you clean the parts with & did you do any sanding)?

 

[ChildrenOfBodom]

Just purchased a can of the SEM, about to paint some of these same parts myself. Couple of questions: how is it holding up, and what kind of prep work did you do before painting (what did you clean the parts with & did you do any sanding)?

My SEM job posted above is still looking good as new. I didn't do any more prep than cleaning the parts.

 

[MONTYMTB]

Thanks James. Couple more questions if you don't mind...

I noticed in another thread that you also painted the trim around your windows - is it holding up on the rubber bits just as well as it is on the plastic?

When you repainted your rear spoiler, did you paint the heads on the original screws or buy new ones?

Your interior trim is black - is that the original color, or did you paint it with the SEM as well? Mine is the limited wood grain stuff and I hate the way it looks, want to paint it black too.

 

[MONTYMTB]

Finally got around to starting this little project today. Hardest part was getting all the crud out from in between the plastic and the screen. How all that stuff works its way in there is beyond me. A buddy of mine has a glass beader machine, so I took the wiper arms to his shop and took all the old paint off with it: